Palin official at Alaska's top law job steps down

JUNEAU, Alaska 
Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg, a major figure in the abuse-of-power investigation of Gov. Sarah Palin, has resigned, the governor's office said yesterday.

Colberg, who was appointed to the post in 2006 after Palin was elected, represented seven of nine state employees who initially refused to testify before a legislative panel investigating Palin's firing of her public safety commissioner in what became known as Troopergate. Colberg said he advised the seven of their options, and he challenged the subpoenas in court, but a state Superior Court judge later upheld the legality of the subpoenas.

“I determined that it was in the best interest of the State of Alaska to move on and pursue other opportunities,” Colberg said in a statement issued yesterday by Palin's office.

Palin's spokesman, Bill McAllister, said the resignation – which was submitted Monday night and was effective immediately – was a personal decision for Colberg, and Palin neither fired him nor pressured him to quit.

Rick Svobodny, head of the state's criminal division, was named acting attorney general. “He just explained that it is a tough environment right now,” Palin said.

The Troopergate investigation looked into whether Palin, assisted by aides and her husband, who was also subpoenaed, pressured public safety commissioner Walt Monegan to fire a state trooper involved in a contentious divorce with Palin's sister and then fired Monegan last July when he wouldn't dismiss the trooper. Palin said Monegan was ousted over budget disagreements.

Colberg has been at the center of controversy over his handling of the investigation.

Two weeks ago, lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee criticized Colberg over his role in the state employees' initial decision not to honor the legislative subpoenas during the probe.

Then Friday, the state Senate voted 16-1 to find the governor's husband, Todd, and nine Palin aides in contempt for failing to show up when ordered by subpoena to testify in the investigation. Todd Palin and the rest did eventually submit written statements to the investigator, so the Senate said no punishment of them was warranted.